November 28, 2011

Lately, when I search the galleries on various scrapbooking websites, I notice that several scrappers are using circles on their layouts. This seems to be a trend that’s been around for awhile but scrappers never get tired of using and I can see why! Circles can create a fun, energetic appearance to your layouts and can also draw your attention to specific details on a layout. With the right templates and punches, scrapbookers can create a variety of circles in a variety of sizes for their layouts.

Take a look at my layout, “Autumn.” I love using patterned paper but sometimes it's too much so I decided to use a white background with several punched circles. I used black and white photos to help make the photos pop off the page. The black and white photos really stand out with the brighter colors in the background. This is an effective way to use circles to help pull the viewer’s attention to the photos while maintaining a fun and interesting layout.

This month, I challenge you to try something new. Have fun using your circle punches and circle templates and enjoy the process of scrapping around and around the circle!

Use the White Shimmer Cardstock as your base.
Using your Black Dual-Tip Pen and a ruler, draw a ½” border around the White Shimmer Cardstock.
Using your Circle Punch, Punch 30 1-1/2” circles from the Autumn 12X12 Addition Papers and adhere them as shown.
Using your Rotary Trimmer, cut a piece of the yellow patterned paper down to 6-1/2”X4-1/2”.
Use a Blue Dual-Tip Pen to trace a ¼” border around the yellow mat and adhere it to the layout as shown.
Mat 3 2”X3” photos on White Shimmer Cardstock and adhere it to the yellow mat.
Adhere the mat as shown.
Adhere the stickers using Foam Squares and your Tape Runner as shown.
Use your Black Dual-Tip pen to handwrite your journaling in one of the punched circles as shown.

Zva Creative and our talented Design Team welcomes you to join us this November for a blog hop that we feel is always extra special because it is the first hop for many of our new 2011-12 team members! We also thought it would be more fun to add even more chances to win our blog hop prize! See details below.

As you know, Zva offers many beautiful color groupings for pearls, flowers and crystals. We want to make sure that they shine bright for you, so each designer was asked to share a creation using a specific color or color combination on their blog hop project. If you like Zva's products you can find a list stores and online retailers that sell Zva HERE.

The Blog Hop begins at Windy Robinson's blog. She will have the complete list of all blogs that are participating in case there is a glitch along the way. If you would like to play along, just follow along the blog path. I am linking to one of the Zva designers and that designer is linking to the next and so on. Be prepared to be inspired along the way!

Hidden on FIVE of the blogs is a Zva Creative prize package! Winners will be randomly chosen after the hop is over, so it's important to leave a comment on as many blogs as you can along the way.

The Blog Hop starts today, November 28th and runs through midnight US Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, November 29th.
The 5 winners will be announced on Wednesday, November 30th on each of the five winning blogs. The full list will be found on Windy Robinson's blog as well. We will do our best to notify each winner, but it's best if you can pop in to all of the blogs once again on Wednesday... plus, you never know what kind of inspirational creation that you may find there.

All you need to do is leave a comment on this Zva Blog Hop post...you do not need to leave a comment on each and every designer's blog post to qualify. However, the more times you leave a comment along the blog hop path though, the more chances you will have to be one of the lucky winners.

To increase your chances of winning:
* Comment to let us know that you posted on your Facebook page about our hop (link to any of the blog hop posts)
* Comment to let us know that you "tweeted" about our hop (link to any of the blog hop posts)
* Comment to let us know that you asked your local store to carry Zva creative products. If they already do, that's fantastic, maybe you can suggest other products that they don't carry
So you have FOUR chances on each blog to win one of our FIVE prizes! That's a lot of chances to win!

November 19, 2011

Woke up at 8:30am. due to Edward's wake-up call and found him sitting in the middle of the crib in tons of puke... and picking at it. So I grabbed him, gave him a bath and took the sheets and stuffed animals out of the crib and threw them in the wash.

He insisted that he was hungry so I made him some eggs and gave him some oranges. 1/2 hour after he ate, we are on the couch watching Harry Potter and he comes over to snuggle next to me and then... he throws up on me all over my shirt... it was so gross... so I throw him back in the tub... He took an hour long bath playing with his bubbles and toys.

So I wrap him up in his towel, grab some clean clothes and head downstairs to get him dressed and on the way down the stairs, he throws up on me again and all over his fresh clothes that I was holding. 3x's I've been puked on this morning. I really hope this is the last time because it's 12pm and I am wiped out! He is now napping.

So you're probably wondering where the hubby is during all of this? Well, all he's trying to do this morning is sleep in... and he let me know it! Do I need to say anything more?

Since this month is all about Thanksgiving I decided to create a layout about what I am thankful for... and that is my little family of 3! I love the warm colors on this layout. I just love fall and the gorgeous fall G.C.D papers!

Isn't that bow gorgeous? Would you like to know how to make a perfect bow of your own? Well, I'm going to give you tips on how to make one of your own!

First staple the ribbon below your photo at each end leaving plenty of ribbon hanging to create the bow. Then pull the right side of the ribbon over to the left side of the layout and create a loop. Staple the loop to hold the ribbon in place. Then tie your bow! The staples help hold the shape of the ribbon so that you can tug the bow easily!

It's funny when I look back and they all of the times I said I was never going to have any babies. I had no idea how great motherhood would be. I think the scariest part of thinking about babies is "giving up" your freedom but I honestly don't mind giving up anything because my son completes me. I am so grateful for him, he is a true blessing.

When Nancy's new "Gratitude" line came out, I knew I had to have it and I knew exactly what I would scrap. I love this line and it works pefectly with family layouts! The colors and patterns are so versatile, I bet you could use them on most of your projects too.
Notice how I kept this layout clean and simple. I think the patterns work so well against the Deep Blue Cardstock, what do you think?

November 9, 2011

Call me weird but I like going to the dentist but for the past 8 years, my dentist always ask if I floss which sometimes on my visit, I say yes, sometimes... and he gets on me about it...

But 6 months ago, I decided to do what he says in hopes that I wouldn't hear him nagging at me when I went in another 6 months to visit him...

and... while he was looking around, he said "Nicole, your teeth look really good. Wait, let me re-phase that, they look DAMN good!" yay me!!! I haven't had any cavities in about 6 years and I've been doing really good!!!

November's a really tough month in my house. November 6, 2006 We lost someone really close to us... my Father-in-law. It was so sad and I miss him terribly. I've been wanting to create this layout for almost 5 years and could not bring myself to do it until just recently. I decided to write a letter to my Father-In-Law even though I cannot see or talk to him but I know he's always with me as my Guardian Angel. Atleast I hope so.

November 4, 2011

I really love using Epiphany Craft's round tools. For this layout, I used the Round Tool 14 and their adorable metal charm! If you don't own any of their products, you're missing out! When I'm low on embellishments or I'm missing something... I will grab my tools and embellies by Epiphany Crafts to help add that certain "wow" factor to my projects!

Tip: Use foam squares to hold your charm in place and insert a pin through the loop into a flower to make it look like the pin is holding the charm into place.

I love how excited Edward gets at Bath time. He has always loved his baths. Here are a few photos I took last night! He's starting to get brave... right now he's starting to duck his head under the faucet and he's climbing up things... like his high chair, the dog crates and the furnisher...

November 1, 2011

Edward looked so cute in his scaracrow costume that Grand-ma made! I think he likes Halloween... it didn't take too long for him to ask daddy to open his candy so he could enjoy it... he said, "ummm". Hehe.